Blister package with opening device



June 27, 1967 J. R. O'MEARA, ET AL 3,327,843

BLISTER PACKAGE WITH OPENING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 25, 1965 INVENTORS. k L. Az-c'uali Jose o (lo/12a 1?.

June 27, O'MEARA ET AL 3,327,843

I BLISTER PACKAGE WITH OPENING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 25, .1965

INVENTORS.

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(Jose BY J j A TfoRzvEY United States Patent 3,327,843 BLISTER PACKAGE WITH OPENING DEVICE John R. GMeara, North Caldwell, and Joseph L. Arcudi,

Elizabeth, N.J., assignors to Ivers-Lee Company, Newark, N.J., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 25, 1965, Ser. No. 482,338 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-42) This invention relates to containers or packages and particularly to containers or packages of the blister-type for releasing articles one at a time therefrom.

In the packaging industry, considerable effort and attention has been directed to the development of packages for articles such as pills, tablets and similar items wherein the articles are attractively displayed and are readily dispensable. As a result, there are presently a variety of different packages on the market including the conventional blister-type packages. These blister-type packages generally contain a plurality of articles secured between a relatively sturdy plastic blister and a relatively thin sheet of plastic material. In order to release the articles, the plastic sheet must be broken, usually by applying pressure to force the articles through the plastic sheet.

While the above-described packages are satisfactory for some articles, they present numerous difiiculties when used to package friable articles such as medicinal tablets or pills. Since these tablets are susceptible to being broken or crushed when being forced through a plastic sheet in a conventional blister-type package, there is an apparent need for a package which will adequately protect the articles contained therein and permit ready dispensing of the articles without injury thereto.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a new and improved package for a plurality of articles having the advantages of ease of dispensing and suitable protection of the articles at all times.

Another object of this invention is to provide a blister-type package for dispensing articles such as pills or tablets one at a time in an expeditious manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a unique method of packaging and dispensing articles such as pills and tablets.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a new and improved blister-type package wherein a plurality of friable articles are contained and displayed and may be dispensed in an expeditious manner without the possibility of damage to the articles.

With the above and other objects in mind, the present invention contemplates a package for articles wherein a plurality of said articles are contained within a plastic blister or window which protrudes through an aperture in a relatively stiif card. The blister is heat sealed to a first portion of the card to form a unitary structure and the articles are sealed within the blister by a second portion of the card which folds over to mate with the first portion. A thin paper backing sheet is readily removable to dispense articles through an aperture in the second portion of the card. The package is particularly useful in dispensing rather delicate tablets which might other wise be damaged during the dispensing operation. A portion of the backing sheet extends beyond the end of the card to facilitate opening of the package. The card also includes a fold over portion which protects the tablets and prevents their escape during shipment or normal handling of the package.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent when considered in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the invention showing a plurality of articles such as tablets located within a blister or window in the package;

3,327,843 Patented June 27, 1967 FIFIG. 2 is a bottom view of the package shown in FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the invention taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the invention taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1 with the operation of the protective cover shown in phantom;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the cover portion folded over the peelable bottom strip;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the package taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial section disclosing the operation of the package with a tablet being fed therefrom;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the package taken along the line 88 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is an exploded view showing the individual elements comprising the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention in a first preferred embodiment contemplates a package for articles such as tablets or pills 10. The package as shown in FIGS. 1-9 includes a plastic blister 11, a backing sheet 12 and a card 13 of relatively stiff cardboard material which may be folded to form three separate portions 14, 15 and 16. The card portion 14 includes an elongated slot 17 to permit insertion of the blister 11 therethrough while the card portion 15 includes a substantially rectangular aperture 18 for dispensing of tablets 10 therefrom when the package is in an assembled condition. The card portion 16 is designed to serve as a protective cover for the dispensing aperture 18.

To assemble the package, the raised portion 19 of the blister 11 is inserted into the slot 17 so as to protrude therefrom while the flange portion 20 bears against the opposite surface of the card 13. The tablets 10 are placed within the blister 11 which is preferably of a transparent plastic material such as an acetate and the card portion 15 having the backing sheet 12 positioned therealong is folded against the portion 14. The mating surfaces of the card portions 14 and 15 may be coated with a heat scalable material to bond the various components of the package together in the desired relationship. The assembled package is fed to a press (not shown) where a heated die seals the package.

One end 21 of the paper backing sheet 12 is threaded through the slot 17 and extends beyond the edge of the card 13. The backing sheet 12 is heat sealed to the blister flange 20 by the heated die but is peelable therefrom since no bonding agent has been applied to the surfaces. To remove the tablets 10, the end 21 of the backing sheet 12, which extends outwardly from the card 13 to facilitate the dispensing operation, is pulled back releasing a tablet 11 from the aperture 18 in the manner shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. If additional tablets 10 are desired, the package is tilted causing the tablets 10 to slide within the blister 11 towards the aperture 18 or they may be urged therealong by exerting pressure on the blister 11. In any event, the possibility of damage, particularly to friable tablets 10 is minimized. When the required number of tablets 10 have been removed, the package is closed, see FIG. 4, by folding the cover 16 over the aperture 13 and the end portion of the backing sheet 12. This holds the backing sheet over the opening to protect said sheet and prevent the tablets 10 from escaping, for example, when the package is carried in the purse or pocket.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simple illustrative examples of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art, which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

A package for articles comprising:

a first base member having a slot extending there through,

a second base member integrally connected and hinged along one end of the first base member and being mounted thereto with the opposite faces of the members in an abutting relationship, said second member having an aperture positioned opposite one end of the slot,

a container for the articles protruding from the slot and having an open end portion mounted between the first and second base members to retain the ar- 7 ticles in the container,

means for sealing the aperture in the second base member comprising an elongated strip mounted intermediate the first and second base members and pposite the open end portion of the container, one end of said strip extending through the aperture in the second base member to a point beyond the base 4. members where it may be readily gripped, and being removably attached to the container to permit opening of said aperture to release of articles one at a time through the aperture,

third base member integrally connected along the opposite end of the first base member and being hinged about said end for positioning in a juxtaposed relationship with reference to the second member to prevent the escape of articles from the container 10 When the sealing means has been removed from the aperture.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,255,331 4/1941 Pospisil 206-42 2,899,046 8/1959 Cox 206-42 2,968,391 1/1961 Sparks 206-42 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM T. DIXSON, ]R., Examiner. 

